George Richard's Top Ten Science Fiction and Fantasy Novels

Well, I guess I've procrastinated long enough (actually I was thinking). I consider myself fairly well read and I'm surprised by all the books on these top ten lists I haven't read and pleased by the memories that just the titles of those I have read brought back. Since I don't read fantasy my list will be SF heavy and deliberately, fairly free of repetitions (since there's plenty of rich ground out there). In no particular order outside of my remembrance, (since the majority of my books are still boxed), here are 10 favorites.

• To Your Scattered Bodies Go. Phillip Jose Farmer
  The first and best of the Riverworld series. What a concept, you wake up one morning resurrected along with everyone who ever lived on a planet far from Earth. What a cast of characters. I know Mary named this one already but I feel entitled to one repeat, I literally waited years for the sequels.

• Pastwatch: The Redemption of Christopher Columbus. Orson Scott Card
  Some have labeled this a piece of PC tripe, but it really struck a cord for me. One of the few books I've ever wept over. Time travel with a purpose and a moral imperative. Quite different from the Ender (which would be on this list if it wasn't already named) series

• I, Robot. Isaac Asimov
  I considered the Foundation Trilogy but actually it's boring compared to Asimov's Robot stories. I, Robot is a collection of short stories first published if I remember correctly in the 40's. The series is continues in The Rest of the Robots and Caves of Steel. All very good.

• Startide Rising. David Brin
  Simply a thought provoking series. The Uplift Series is one of the most original concepts ever thought out. Well written and character driven It can be a great help in overcoming your Terracentric way of thinking. (Watch for the Postman at the RTBSTMC next year).

• A Matter for Men, War Against the Chtorr. David Gerrold
  A great series about the Chtorraforming of an obscure body in the SK system. Well written series with very good characters but, don't start reading this series until the next book comes out or you will be sorely disappointed. It's been at least 10 years and I don't think Gerrold will ever finish the series.

• West of Eden, Harry Harrison
  In a world where the meteor missed. Dinosaurs are not extinct but, instead evolved intelligence and finally meet with prehistoric man who inhabits the edges of the glacial zones. The entire series (3 books) is an excellent alternate history that explores among other things bioengineering and intelligence.

• N-Space. Larry Niven
  A great collection of short stories and novellas from one of the best "Hard" SF writers of all time. I thought about Footfall, Ringworld, Known Space, the Kzin and the Ptvass but this may be the best collection that gives a taste of Niven.

• Marching Through Georgia. SM Sterling
  Another alternate history series with a twist. The descendants of the Tory American Colonists build an evil empire on the cape of Africa, and expand. The 4 book series takes place from these alternate histories WW2 through the space race, then spills over into our universe. It's driven by gripping characters that are Hegel's supermen, noble, Spartan, and completely amoralistic and their dealings with "ordinary folks".

• Stand on Zanzibar. John Brunner
  Before cyberpunk, before the Matrix, this book gave birth to it all in style and substance. As this book seems to become more dated it becomes truer. Scary and accurate it's almost as if it's written on a subconscious level that you are gradually aware of.

• The Final Reflection. John M. Ford
  The most Klingon of all the Star Trek novels. Because this is a good story in it's own right (the only TOS novel not staring Kirk & Crew) this entry represents all the guilty little pleasure novels of SF mind candy I've read. Some times you just want to relax and enjoy.